Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 230 / Friday, December 1, 2023 / Proposed Rules 83887 

1Petition of the United States Postal Service for 

the Initiation of a Proceeding to Consider Proposed 

Changes in Analytical Principles (Proposal Eight), 

November 21, 2023 (Petition). Proposal Eight is 

attached to the Petition. The Petition was 

accompanied by a study supporting its proposal. 

See Michael D. Bradley, Calculating the Rural 

Carrier Product Costs Arising Under the New 

Evaluation System, November 21, 2023 (Bradley 

Study). The Postal Service also filed a notice of 

filing of public and non-public materials relating to 

Proposal Eight. Notice of Filing of USPS–RM2024– 

2–1 and USPS–RM2024–2–NP1 and Application for 

Nonpublic Treatment, November 21, 2023. 

§ 891.425 Lease requirements. 

* * * * * 

(d) Notification for nonpayment of 

rent. The lease must contain a provision 

or addendum that tenants will receive 

notification at least 30 days prior to 

termination of the lease for nonpayment 

of rent. 

PART 966—PUBLIC HOUSING LEASE 

AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 

■ 14. The authority citation for part 966 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1437f and 3535(d). 

■ 15. In § 966.4, revise paragraphs 

(l)(3)(i)(A), add a sentence to the end of 

paragraph (1)(3)(ii), add paragraphs 

(l)(3)(ii)(A), (B), and (C), and add 

paragraph (q) to read as follows: 

§ 966.4 Lease requirements. 

* * * * * 

(l) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(i) * * * 

(A) At least 30 days in the case of 

failure to pay rent; 

* * * * * 

(ii) * * * All notices of lease 

termination required by 

§ 966.4(1)(3)(i)(A) due to a tenant’s 

failure to pay rent must also include the 

following: 

(A) Instructions on how the tenant 

can cure the nonpayment of rent 

violation; 

(B) Information on how the tenant can 

recertify their income pursuant to 24 

CFR 960.257(b), request a hardship 

exemption pursuant to 24 CFR 5.630(b), 

or request to switch from flat rent to 

income-based rent pursuant to 24 CFR 

960.253(g); and 

(C) In the event of a Presidential 

declaration of a national emergency, 

such information as required by the 

Secretary. 

* * * * * 

(q) Notification for nonpayment of 

rent. The lease shall contain a provision 

or addendum that tenants will receive 

notification at least 30 days prior to 

termination of the lease for nonpayment 

of rent. 

§ 966.8 [Removed] 

■ 16. Remove § 966.8. 

Marcia L. Fudge, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–26348 Filed 11–30–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

39 CFR Part 3050 

[Docket No. RM2024–2; Order No. 6816] 

Periodic Reporting 

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Commission is 

acknowledging a recent filing requesting 

the Commission initiate a rulemaking 

proceeding to consider changes to 

analytical principles relating to periodic 

reports (Proposal Eight). This document 

informs the public of the filing, invites 

public comment, and takes other 

administrative steps. 

DATES: Comments are due: January 18, 

2024. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments 

electronically via the Commission’s 

Filing Online system at http://

www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit 

comments electronically should contact 

the person identified in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section by 

telephone for advice on filing 

alternatives. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 

202–789–6820. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

I. Introduction 

II. Proposal Eight 

III. Notice and Comment 

IV. Ordering Paragraphs 

I. Introduction 

On November 21, 2023, the Postal 

Service filed a petition pursuant to 39 

CFR 3050.11 requesting that the 

Commission initiate a rulemaking 

proceeding to consider changes to 

analytical principles relating to periodic 

reports.1 The Petition identifies the 

proposed analytical changes filed in this 

docket as Proposal Eight. 

II. Proposal Eight 

Background. In May 2023, the Postal 

Service began using a new route 

evaluation system, the Rural Route 

Evaluated Compensation System 

(RRECS), to determine each route’s 

evaluated time, on which basis the 

compensation for rural carriers is based. 

Petition, Proposal Eight at 1. The Postal 

Service states that RRECS replaces the 

previous route evaluation system and is 

materially different from the previous 

system in three important ways. Id. at 

1–2. First, RRECS presents a more 

detailed classification of daily carrier 

activities and can potentially identify 

new linkages between rural carrier 

volumes and rural carrier costs. Id. at 2. 

Second, RRECS uses engineering and 

statistical methods instead of negotiated 

standards to establish time standards for 

individual rural carrier activities, which 

may lead to different volume variable 

costs. Id. Third, RRECS uses current 

data to determine the various counts 

that are applied to the time standards to 

determine evaluated time, unlike the 

existing methodology that relies on a 

special study (the Rural Mail Count) last 

conducted in 2018 to capture those 

counts. Id. The Postal Service concludes 

that because of these differences, it is 

likely that the relationship between 

rural carrier costs and volumes has 

changed, and changes to the existing 

methodology are required to accurately 

measure attributable rural carrier costs. 

Id. 

Proposal. Before describing the 

proposal, the Postal Service notes that a 

more detailed discussion of the research 

supporting the proposal is provided in 

the Bradley Study, and supporting data 

are provided in Library References 

USPS–RM2024–2–1 and USPS– 

RM2024–2–NP1. Id. at 3. 

The Postal Service states that because 

RRECS links actual volumes to actual 

rural carrier compensation, it is 

appropriate to use RRECS data to 

measure the variability of rural carrier 

costs and to distribute attributable costs 

to products. Id. The Postal Service 

explains that although the existing 

methodology has a solid casual basis, its 

implementation is dated. Id. at 4. First, 

it relies on Form 4241 negotiated 

evaluation factors, which are no longer 

used and do not reflect the current 

relationships between volume and rural 

carrier cost. Id. Second, it relies on 

volumes from the Rural Mail Count 

conducted in 2018, and there have been 

material volume shifts since then. Id. 

The Postal Service states that 

updating the existing methodology 

using data from RRECS also provides 

two advantages for calculating 

attributable costs. Id. First, RRECS 

captures volume from ongoing 

operational data systems, and volume 

counts will be automatically updated 

each year and will no longer depend on 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
83888 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 230 / Friday, December 1, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

2The Postal Service notes that there are three 

activities that are sufficiently heterogenous across 

routes that effective time standards could not be 

established. Id., n.1. These activities are loading the 

vehicle, deviations for Priority Mail Express 

deliveries, and end of shift activities. Id. For these 

three activities, the actual time the carrier spends 

is recorded on the carrier’s Mobile Delivery Device. 

Id. 

3See id. at 10, Table 1, Assessing the Impact of 

RRECS on FY 2022 Volume Variable Costs by 

Product Groups (Thousands of Dollars); see also id. 

at 12, Table 2, Changes in Unit Costs Due to Switch 

to RRECS. 

a special volume study. Id. at 4–5. 

Second, RRECS provides a more 

detailed description of rural carrier 

activities and reflects how rural carrier 

operations are currently performed. Id. 

at 5. 

The Postal Service states that RRECS 

has three types of variables that are used 

in calculating volume variable rural 

carrier costs. Id. First, it has time 

standards, which are the scientifically 

derived evaluation times specified for 

each carrier activity. Id. Second, it has 

units, which are a count of the activity 

that causes the carrier to incur time. Id. 

Third, it has time sequences, which are 

a measure of time spent in a specific 

activity. Id. The Postal Service states 

that for nearly all the time sequences, 

the calculated time is the product of the 

time standard for the activity and the 

number of units for the activity. Id.2

The Postal Service states that 

updating the existing methodology 

using RRECS data requires identifying 

the RRECS sequences that are volume 

variable. Id. at 6. This requires 

examining the relationship between 

volume and evaluated time for each of 

the sequences that make up the carrier’s 

day. Id. First, this requires examining, 

for each sequence, the relationship 

between the cost driver (measured by 

the sequence’s unit) and the sequence’s 

evaluated time. Id. Second, this requires 

examining the relationship between 

volume and the sequence’s unit. Id. The 

Postal Service concludes that a 

sequence is volume variable if both the 

linkage between volume and its unit, 

and the linkage between its unit and its 

evaluated time, are in force. Id. On the 

other hand, if a sequence’s unit is not 

volume dependent, then the sequence is 

not volume variable. Id. 

The Postal Service states that there are 

a total of 98 sequences and 

subsequences that make up the carrier’s 

day. Id. Based on its analysis, the Postal 

Service concludes that among these 

sequences and subsequences, there are 

48 that are entirely volume variable, 16 

that are partially volume variable, and 

34 that are not volume variable. Id. at 

6–7. 

The Postal Service states that the 

overall variability for rural carrier labor 

time is calculated as the ratio of total 

volume variable evaluated time to total 

evaluated time. Id. at 7. Under the 

existing methodology, the overall 

variability for labor time is 39.0 percent. 

Id. Using 2023 data from RRECS, the 

overall variability is 47.2 percent. Id. 

The Postal Service explains that the 

higher overall variability under RRECS 

is due to three reasons. Id. First, box 

time is volume variable under RRECS 

but not under the existing methodology. 

Id. The Postal Service states that total 

box time is a large time sequence and is 

the largest volume variable sequence 

under RRECS. Id. Second, under RRECS 

rural carriers get credit for verifying the 

addresses of mail as it is delivered. Id. 

at 7–8. Because this activity occurs at 

every box that receives mail, this makes 

it the second largest volume variable 

sequence under RRECS, whereas under 

the existing methodology this time is 

implicit in the non-volume variable box 

time. Id. at 8. Third, RRECS has a much 

more detailed examination of rural 

carriers’ activities, leading it to identify 

higher time standards for handing mail, 

especially for parcels. Id. The Postal 

Service states that because of the growth 

in parcel volume, these additional 

parcel-related activities represent the 

third through the fifth largest volume 

variable sequences under RRECS. Id. 

The Postal Service states that the last 

step in the calculation of attributable 

rural carrier costs is the distribution of 

volume variable costs to the products 

that cause them. Id. This requires 

aligning RRECS cost pools with the 

distribution keys in the Rural Carrier 

Cost System (RCCS). Id. The Postal 

Service states that in some cases, this 

requires combining RRECS cost pools 

that share a common RCCS distribution 

key, and in others it requires 

subdividing an RRECS cost pool into 

shapes-specific sub-pools that match 

RCCS distribution keys. Id. 

The Postal Service further proposes 

minor modifications to the RCCS 

distribution keys in order to realign 

rural carrier costing with RRECS. Id. 

The Postal Service states that these 

modifications ‘‘are related to the shape 

of the mail piece, the presence of 

delivery barcodes, and the delivery 

location.’’ Id. at 13. The Postal Service 

further states that these modifications 

‘‘would result in the addition of new 

distribution keys, the removals of 

obsolete distribution keys, and in 

changes in the assignment of mail 

pieces to the distribution keys.’’ Id; see 

generally, id. at 13–16 (describing the 

minor modifications in detail). 

Impact. The Postal Service presents 

the impact of using RRECS data on the 

volume variable costs by product groups 

and the impact on unit costs by product 

in two tables.3 In terms of the impact on 

volume variable costs, the Postal Service 

states that the most notable impact is 

the large increase in volume variable 

costs for both Package Services and 

Competitive products. Id. at 9. The 

Postal Services explains that this is due 

to the higher parcel-shaped volumes 

recorded in RRECS as compared to the 

2018 Rural Mail Count, and the higher 

carrier time per parcel identified under 

RRECS as compared to the negotiated 

time from Form 4241. Id. 

In terms of the impact on unit costs, 

the Postal Service states there are 

relatively small changes in unit costs for 

First-Class Mail products and Marketing 

Mail products (except for parcels), 

Periodicals’ unit costs decrease because 

of the decline in rural route flats 

volume, Package Services’ and 

Competitive products’ unit costs 

increase because of higher parcel 

volumes and higher evaluated times per 

parcel in RRECS, and special services’ 

unit costs decrease because of lower 

volumes and lower unit times in 

RRECS. Id. at 10–11. 

The Postal Service concludes that 

‘‘the impact analysis demonstrates that 

the proposed costing methodology 

produces volume variable and unit costs 

consistent with the changes in volume 

since 2018 and the change in the route 

evaluation structure brought on by 

RRECS.’’ Id. at 11. 

III. Notice and Comment 

The Commission establishes Docket 

No. RM2024–2 for consideration of 

matters raised by the Petition. More 

information on the Petition may be 

accessed via the Commission’s website 

at http://www.prc.gov. Interested 

persons may submit comments on the 

Petition and Proposal Eight no later than 

January 18, 2024. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 

505, Nikki Brendemuehl is designated 

as an officer of the Commission (Public 

Representative) to represent the 

interests of the general public in this 

proceeding. 

IV. Ordering Paragraphs 

It is ordered: 

1. The Commission establishes Docket 

No. RM2024–2 for consideration of the 

matters raised by the Petition of the 

United States Postal Service for the 

Initiation of a Proceeding to Consider 

Proposed Changes in Analytical 

Principles (Proposal Eight), filed 

November 21, 2023. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 230 / Friday, December 1, 2023 / Proposed Rules 83889 

2. Comments by interested persons in 

this proceeding are due no later than 

January 18, 2024. 

3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the 

Commission appoints Nikki 

Brendemuehl to serve as an officer of 

the Commission (Public Representative) 

to represent the interests of the general 

public in this docket. 

4. The Secretary shall arrange for the 

publication of this Order in the Federal 

Register. 

By the Commission. 

Erica A. Barker, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–26393 Filed 11–30–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Part 63 

[EPA–OAR–2023–0406; FRL–10652–01– 

OAR] 

RIN 2060–AV97 

Removal of Affirmative Defense 

Provisions From the National Emission 

Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants 

for the Oil and Natural Gas Production 

Facility and Natural Gas Transmission 

and Storage Facility Source Categories 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The EPA is proposing 

amendments to the National Emission 

Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants 

for the oil and gas industry issued under 

the Clean Air Act. Specifically, the EPA 

is proposing to remove the affirmative 

defense provisions of the National 

Emission Standards for Hazardous Air 

Pollutants for both the Oil and Natural 

Gas Production source category and the 

Natural Gas Transmission and Storage 

source category. 

DATES: 

Comments. Comments must be 

received on or before January 16, 2024. 

Public hearing: If anyone contacts us 

requesting a public hearing on or before 

December 6, 2023, we will hold a virtual 

public hearing. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for information on 

requesting and registering for a public 

hearing. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– 

OAR–2023–0406, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov/ (our 

preferred method). Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Email: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov. 

Include Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR– 

2023–0406 in the subject line of the 

message. 

• Fax: (202) 566–9744. Attention 

Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2023– 

0406. 

• Mail: U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, 

Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2023– 

0406, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 

Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, 

DC 20460. 

• Hand/Courier Delivery: EPA Docket 

Center, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 

1301 Constitution Avenue NW, 

Washington, DC 20004. The Docket 

Center’s hours of operation are 8:30 

a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday (except 

Federal holidays). 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the Docket ID No. for this 

rulemaking. Comments received may be 

posted without change to https://

www.regulations.gov/, including any 

personal information provided. For 

detailed instructions on sending 

comments and additional information 

on the rulemaking process, see the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this document. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

questions about this proposed action, 

contact U.S. EPA, Attn. Matthew 

Witosky, Mail Drop: E143–05, 109 T.W. 

Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12055, RTP, 

North Carolina 27711; telephone 

number: (919) 541–2865; and email 

address: witosky.matthew@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Participation in virtual public 

hearing. To request a virtual public 

hearing, contact the public hearing team 

at (888) 372–8699 or by email at 

SPPDpublichearing@epa.gov. If 

requested, the hearing will be held via 

virtual platform on December 18, 2023. 

The hearing will convene at 11 a.m. 

Eastern Time (ET) and will conclude at 

3 p.m. ET. The EPA may close a session 

15 minutes after the last pre-registered 

speaker has testified if there are no 

additional speakers. The EPA will 

announce further details at https://

www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollutionoil-and-natural-gas-industry/actionsand-notices-about-oil-andnatural#neshap. 

If a public hearing is requested, the 

EPA will begin pre-registering speakers 

for the hearing no later than 1 business 

day after a request has been received. To 

register to speak at the virtual hearing, 

please use the online registration form 

available at https://www.epa.gov/ 

controlling-air-pollution-oil-andnatural-gas-industry/actions-andnotices-about-oil-and-natural#neshap or 

contact the public hearing team at (888) 

372–8699 or by email at 

SPPDpublichearing@epa.gov. The last 

day to pre-register to speak at the 

hearing will be December 13, 2023. 

Prior to the hearing, the EPA will post 

a general agenda that will list preregistered speakers at: https://

www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollutionoil-and-natural-gas-industry/actionsand-notices-about-oil-andnatural#neshap. 

The EPA will make every effort to 

follow the schedule as closely as 

possible on the day of the hearing; 

however, please plan for the hearings to 

run either ahead of schedule or behind 

schedule. 

Each commenter will have 4 minutes 

to provide oral testimony. The EPA 

encourages commenters to provide the 

EPA with a copy of their oral testimony 

electronically (via email) by emailing it 

to witosky.matthew@epa.gov. The EPA 

also recommends submitting the text of 

your oral testimony as written 

comments to the rulemaking docket. 

The EPA may ask clarifying questions 

during the oral presentations but will 

not respond to the presentations at that 

time. Written statements and supporting 

information submitted during the 

comment period will be considered 

with the same weight as oral testimony 

and supporting information presented at 

the public hearing. 

Please note that any updates made to 

any aspect of the hearing will be posted 

online at https://www.epa.gov/ 

controlling-air-pollution-oil-andnatural-gas-industry/actions-andnotices-about-oil-andnatural#regactions. While the EPA 

expects the hearing to go forward as set 

forth above, please monitor our website 

or contact the public hearing team at 

(888) 372–8699 or by email at 

SPPDpublichearing@epa.gov to 

determine if there are any updates. The 

EPA does not intend to publish a 

document in the Federal Register 

announcing updates. 

If you require the services of a 

translator or special accommodation 

such as audio description, please preregister for the hearing with the public 

hearing team and describe your needs 

by December 8, 2023. The EPA may not 

be able to arrange accommodations 

without advanced notice. 

Docket. The EPA has established a 

docket for this rulemaking under Docket 

ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2023–0406. All 

documents in the docket are listed in 

https://www.regulations.gov/. Although 

listed, some information is not publicly 

available, e.g., Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1